Cheatin' Hearts
by betterleftblank
Summary: Spencer and Ashley in a small town Ashley in a cowboy hat
1. Chapter 1

**A/N I know I have other stories to finish, but I'm a little blocked on those and I'm writing this for a friend. It was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but is now likely going to be three parts. I hope you enjoy and thanks as always for reading/reviewing :) **

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****Part 1

Spencer Carlin was a level-headed and rational woman. If you asked most people to describe her, they would probably use words like: nice, sweet, caring, loyal, trustworthy and kind. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who had a bad word to say about her.

So, it would probably surprise many people to see how unhinged and out of control she was acting right now. Spencer Carlin was an absolute mess. It wasn't the blonde's fault; she was just at the end of her rope.

Spencer had long suspected that her girlfriend was cheating on her again, and she couldn't take deal with the betrayal anymore. In a lot of ways, it felt like her spirit had been broken. There were only so many times that someone can take being lied to and there were only so many times that someone can take having their heartbroken.

And for Spencer, there were no more second chances left and no more forgiveness left to give.

She'd had enough.

What her girlfriend probably didn't take into account, with her many acts of infidelity, was actually being in caught in the act. She didn't really care; she was more interested in getting drunk and having a good time. Responsibility and commitment be damned.

Spencer had been following her girlfriend around all night and although she'd lost her briefly, she had just spotted the brand-new truck she was helping to pay for in the parking lot of the local bar. There was no hiding from the truth anymore. The brunette that she'd been with the better part of two years was not working late.

That was another lie.

But this time Spencer wasn't going to let her get away with it.

Feeling angrier and more hurt than she could remember, the blonde slammed the car door and then made her way towards her cheating girlfriend. Spencer could hear music coming from inside the bar and the sounds of people having a good time. She had no idea what she was hoping to accomplish, but she needed to have it out with the woman she thought she loved.

When the blonde opened the door, she could smell the stench of stale smoke and alcohol. She could also hear the loud local band playing a song she didn't recognize. It was dimly lit and there were a sea of cowboy hats inside, but it didn't take Spencer long to spot her target. She couldn't see who the brunette was with, but she wasn't alone. That much was clear.

Instead of confronting her philandering other half, Spencer became paralyzed by her own thoughts—thoughts of their time together, thoughts of their good times, thoughts of their not so good times and thoughts of the countless times she'd cried over a girl who was clearly willing to throw everything away because she couldn't keep it in her pants.

Spencer's mother had warned her that the brunette was bad news, but she hadn't listened. Perhaps if she had, she wouldn't be in her current state of turmoil.

Backing away from her plan to face what she really didn't want to face, Spencer was almost out the door when what she saw caused her to, once again, become immobilized. Without any regard for who was watching, brown hair mixed with blonde hair as her girlfriend and her date went at it for anyone to see.

Hurt, heartbreak, bile and most of all anger rose through Spencer as she watched the woman who had pledged her love get her jollies on with someone who wasn't her. Reconciliation or talking things out were no longer an option. Instead, Spencer wanted to cause as much pain and destruction to the brunette that had just been thrust upon her.

Without any thought of consequences, Spencer stomped over to her car, grabbing the bat that was in the backseat. Spencer knew this wouldn't solve anything, but when the bat came in contact with the headlight of her girlfriend's truck, she did feel a little better.

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Ashley Davies was a lot of things: songwriter, hard worker, ranch owner and all around good woman. She wasn't a social butterfly by any means, but there wasn't anyone who you could find who would say a bad word about her. That wasn't always the case, but she'd learned from her youthful mistakes and grown up to be a well-respected member of her community.

One of Ashley's greatest strengths was her ability size up whether or not someone could be trusted. She liked to believe that she was a pretty good judge of character. Once she had a person pegged, it took a lot for her to be surprised or caught off guard by their actions.

That's why, on this particular night, on her way home, she nearly crashed her pickup truck when she spotted a certain blonde woman destroying a car one bat swing at a time. It took her a few looks to confirm that it was, indeed, Spencer Carlin working her anger out for all to see.

Ashley first met Spencer in high school. She had just transferred from another county because her mom didn't want to take care of her anymore. A woman who was always looking for her next guy to snag had neither the time nor the patience to deal with a rebelling teenager. Ashley's dad had agreed to take her in, even though he was on the road a lot with his band.

She'd kept mostly to herself those first few weeks. Having to work so many hours on her dad's ranch made Ashley more tired than she could remember. Making friends wasn't on the top of her priority list. Her fellow classmates didn't know what to make of the new girl with the famous dad.

It took a chance encounter and a knocked over cup of coffee for the two girls to meet. Ashley was trying to find her way to her science class and, without looking at where she was going, collided into a very surprised Spencer. She apologized profusely for being a klutz, and the blonde accepted her apology immediately.

Spencer had heard a lot about Ashley and was curious at how much of what she'd heard was true. Living in a small town and going to a small high school meant the rumour mill was always churning.

Ashley felt more comfortable around Spencer than anyone she'd met since moving. She found her easy to talk to, sweet and so very beautiful. It didn't take Ashley long to realize she was falling for her new friend, but she didn't act on her feelings. There were many times that she wanted to, but things always seemed to get in the way or her mother came to visit, which caused Ashley to keep Spencer from getting too close.

That's not to say they stopped being friends, but there was this palpable tension between the two girls that was always present. Then Spencer went away to college and Ashley stayed in town to work with her dad. When the blonde returned four years later, it was Ashley's turn to leave as she tried to pursue her dream of a music career. When the brunette realized that life on the road was not something she wanted, she came home.

The first thing she did was go looking for Spencer. Unfortunately, she found her with Carmen, her new girlfriend and their friendship really wasn't the same since. Sure they saw each other from time to time at town events, but that was about it. Their timing had never been right and Ashley had long given up on anything happening between the two of them.

Even though they weren't close anymore, Ashley knew she'd always feel protective of the blonde. She didn't really give it much thought when she pulled into the parking lot to see what was wrong. The sound of Ashley's cowboy boots hitting the pavement as she made her way over to Spencer, did nothing to stop the smashing that was going on. The other girl was in too lost in her anger to realize that her recent activities hadn't gone unnoticed.

Ashley wasn't quite sure how to handle this situation. All she knew was that something was wrong and she would do anything in her power to make it better. If she was allowed to, that is. "Spence?"

At first the blonde didn't hear her name being called, but when she did, her stomach dropped. She didn't want anyone to catch her and, if she was going to get caught, she would never have wanted Ashley to see her in such a state. She stopped beating up Carmen's truck, but she didn't turn around at first.

"Spence?" Ashley tried again, still befuddled as to what to do. "Are you OK?"

When Spencer worked up the nerve, she finally decided to look in the brunette's direction. When her blue eyes met Ashley's brown ones, her anger dissipated almost instantly and tears began to form.

There were many things that Ashley could handle, but a sad, nearly crying Spencer wasn't one of them. She felt her heart immediately go out to the blonde, and all she wanted to do was wrap her arms around the other girl to try and make her feel better.

"What the fuck is going on here?" a very angry voice asked before Ashley could do anything to comfort her one-time best friend.

Ashley watched as Spencer's face went from heartbreak to shock and then to fear. She knew that things were about to get ugly.

Spencer couldn't really process what was happening. The events of the last half hour seemed like a surreal blur. But when she surveyed the damage that she'd managed to do in a very short time, she knew she was in big trouble. Never one for violence before, Spencer felt sick to her stomach. Although, she knew that she'd been wronged by Carmen, she also knew that what she did hadn't been right. She had no explanation to give, and now that one was required, she didn't know what to say. She was too busy trying to figure out what to do next.

"You fucking bitch!" Carmen screamed after she saw the full extent of her girlfriend's handiwork. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Ashley was not one to normally act without thinking, but this was a special case. The thought of anyone disrespecting Spencer was simply not acceptable. She put herself in between the couple before anything further could happen. "I know you're upset, but…"

"You're damn right I'm upset!" Carmen was enraged. "That fucking bitch…"

"I suggest you speak a little bit nicer to Spencer." Ashley was fighting to keep her composure. She didn't want a tense situation to escalate further. On the other hand, she wouldn't stand to hear anyone talk about the blonde that way.

"Fuck you, Davies," Carmen snarled, her date forgotten. "I bet this was all your doing. I know you've hated me ever since you found out I was the one who got to be with—"

Spencer couldn't take it anymore. The woman she was looking at was not the woman she had fallen for. Although, if she wanted to be honest with herself, Carmen had long ago lost the appeal she'd once held. "Leave her out of this," Spencer said, her voice soft and strained.

Carmen laughed at the blonde's feeble attempt to calm the situation down. She wasn't always this nasty, but when she was drunk, her personality completely changed. "Shut the hell up," Carmen ordered without really looking at her girlfriend. Her eyes were too focused on all the dents and smashed lights she now had to deal with. "What is wrong with you? " She started walking around the heavily damaged truck, her anger getting more intense. "How could you do this to my fucking car?"

Before Carmen reached Spencer, Ashley asserted herself once again. This time, however, she moved right in front of the other brunette, her eyes steely and her posture rigid. "You're really working my last nerve," she said, her tone ice cold.

"And you really need to mind your own business," Carmen fired back. She wasn't about to let Ashley tell her what to do. "This doesn't concern you."

Ashley was now seeing red. "Actually, it does, when you—"

Carmen laughed, cutting Ashley off. "You're so fucking pathetic," she had waited a long time to have it out with the girl that Spencer thought so highly of. In Carmen's mind she was always being judged against Ashley and was always falling way short. She was tired of competing with a past that never really was. "It's been years and you're still not over Spencer."

"You shut your mouth," Ashley ordered, her teeth clenched tightly together. "This isn't about me."

"That's what I thought, too," Carmen replied sarcastically. "But you decided to butt your nose into my life and my business so I think it's about time you and I had a little heart-to heart."

"Carmen, enough," Spencer ordered but her plea fell on deaf ears.

"It's pretty fucking sad that after all this time you're still following Spencer around like a little lap dog." Carmen was speaking out of her ass. Although Ashley's feelings for the blonde were more than obvious, she'd respected her enough not to interfere in her life. "You're such a joke."

"I'm a joke?" Ashley questioned incredulously. "I'm not the one who—" the brunette stopped though when she heard Spencer's voice again trying to break things up. She turned around, ignoring Carmen and focusing only on Spencer. "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's ok," Spencer assured the other girl. "You're not the one I'm mad at."

Carmen watched as the Ashley and Spencer remained locked on each other. Her jealousy and insecurities were about to come out at full force. "I always knew there was something between the two of you," she stated accusingly. "I should have suspected earlier that you two were sneaking around behind my back."

The fact that Carmen was accusing Spencer of being unfaithful was beyond unfair. The blonde wanted to laugh and she might have if she wasn't hurt and still in pain. This whole thing was like some awful nightmare that she knew she wasn't going to wake up from.

"I always knew you were a whore," Carmen spat out.

"That's it!" Ashley couldn't stand to hear another awful word come out of Carmen's mouth. She turned away from the blonde and focused all her attention on the woman she was two seconds away from hitting. "You better shut your mouth."

"Or what?" Carmen challenged. She was never one to back away from a fight, especially one she'd wanted to have for some time now. "You think you scare me?"

"Ash, please," Spencer begged, she didn't want this night to get any worse. "Let me handle this." It's not that she didn't appreciate Ashley trying to help, but she didn't want to see her possibly get hurt. "It's OK."

"Her calling you a whore is not OK!" Ashley countered, unwilling to back down.

"I know," Spencer agreed, her tone calm but still sad.

"Aren't you two precious?" Carmen was not in the mood to keep her thoughts to herself. Instead of continuing to engage Ashley in a confrontation, she decided to turn her attention towards Spencer. "I think you better stop fawning over Ashley and explain to me why you destroyed my truck."

"Maybe we should talk about this at home," Spencer replied. She knew the bar was going to close soon and she didn't want to cause a scene that would be the talk of the town.

"Maybe you should just tell me the truth," Carmen countered. "Because if you think for one second that I'm not going to make you pay for the damage you caused, you're sadly mistaken."

Spencer sighed; this wasn't going well. "Not here, Carmen."

Carmen's alcohol-fueled temper wasn't going to allow her to leave things well alone. "Don't you fucking order me around! You think you're better than me and that gives you the right to tell me what to do?"

"There's no reasoning with you when you're like this," Spencer told her girlfriend. "I'm leaving and when you've calmed down, we can talk." She dropped the bat on the ground and gave Ashley an apologetic look. There was too much going on in her mind to properly express how sorry she was to her former friend. That would have to wait for another time.

"Don't you walk away from me!" Carmen ordered to the back of the blonde's head. When she was ignored, she reacted instantly and violently. She ran up to Spencer, yanked on her arm and then pushed her up against her truck. "I said, don't you fucking walk away from me!"

Spencer barely had any time to react to being manhandled by Carmen because, before she could say anything, she saw Ashley grab Carmen and throw her to the ground.

Ashley drew her foot back, then she made sure it came in contact with Carmen's stomach—hard. She was teetering on the edge of control but she knew that if she went over, she'd do something she'd regret. As she watched Carmen writhe around in pain, she accepted that she couldn't do anymore damage. Even though she wanted to so badly.

Spencer was wide eyed and in disbelief. Her whole world was unraveling right before her eyes.

Ashley bent down to pick up her cowboy hat that had fallen on the ground when she attacked Carmen. Despite the fact that she had no intention to get violent again, that didn't mean she was going to go quietly into the night either. She knelt down beside an obviously in pain Carmen and leaned right by her ear. "That's no way to treat a lady, you no good piece of shit." She made sure to speak slowly and as menacingly as possible. "And if you ever lay another finger on Spencer or even look in her direction again, I'll make sure it's days before you can walk again."

Not waiting for an answer, Ashley got up and then extended her hand to the shaken up blonde. "Come on, Spence, let's get out of here."

Even though she had no idea what she was going to do now, Spencer accepted Ashley's offer. She knew she had to get as far away from Carmen as possible and to somehow figure out how to get the pieces of her life back together.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Thanks for the reviews/comments - I really appreciate it! sparkles04 and xyepx "Before He Cheats" actually did inspire me - so I'm glad you caught that. Because I'm apparently unable to write concisely, this story is now going to be four chapters, hopefully that's okay :) The next part should be up sometime next week. **

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Part 2

Ashley had been driving around for the last twenty minutes and she still didn't know where she was heading. Spencer had gone quiet after leaving Carmen writhing on the ground in pain. The blonde had mostly stared out the window without saying much of anything. Ashley couldn't imagine what was going through Spencer's mind, but she was sure that none of it was good.

Not knowing if Carmen would be at the home she shared with blonde, and not wanting to risk another confrontation, Ashley decided to head to her own place. She could get Spencer anything she wanted and then they could decide on next steps. Her desire to keep her friend safe was the only thing that mattered to Ashley at the moment.

Spencer was still in shock. She'd gone from being in a relationship with Carmen, to seeing the confirmation of Carmen's infidelity, to smashing up the brunette's truck, to seeing Ashley for the first time in months, to confronting her girlfriend and then watching her get violent. It was a lot to take in, and she wasn't even remotely close to being able to process everything. If there was a plus side to this entire night, it was that she was with Ashley.

There was a time that the blonde had wondered if anything would ever happen between her and Ashley. In high school there always seemed to be this spark between them that they'd never explored for one reason or another. Nothing had ever been discussed, and Spencer wasn't even sure Ashley had ever felt the same way she did. But none of that mattered tonight anyway. Right now she needed to deal with Carmen and the fallout of their failed relationship.

What made this whole situation tolerable was the feeling of being safe with Ashley. She knew that she had someone she could count on, even if they hadn't had a meaningful conversation in years. Spencer knew, even before this night, that if push came to shove, she could always rely on Ashley. She was happy and relived to have someone like that in her corner.

Ashley pulled up to her house, the otherwise silent night punctuated by the wheels of her truck on the gravel driveway. Never one for flash and over indulgence, the brunette's home hadn't changed all that much from when she inherited it from her dad. He had passed away a few years back in a bus accident that had left her devastated. She had grown close to him. He might not have been there for her as a child, but when she really needed her dad, Raife Davies had come through. He changed her life. Ashley could have remodelled the home or renovated it if she wanted. Money certainly wasn't an issue for her, but she preferred to keep things simple and not flaunt her wealth as if it mattered.

When Spencer didn't make a move to leave the truck, Ashley opened the passenger-side door and offered her hand for assistance. Spencer stepped out, but even with Ashley's help, she still stumbled forward. Her legs were like jelly and buckled under her. Luckily, Ashley was quick to react and was able to catch Spencer before she hit the ground.

As the blonde gazed up at the warm caring eyes looking back at her, she lost it. The events of the night finally caught up to her and she couldn't hold it together any more. She latched onto Ashley and started sobbing. She wasn't really crying over not having Carmen in her life anymore; in reality, that had been a long time coming. Her tears were more for the two years lost on Carmen and the pain that she had felt while her relationship came apart. Lies, deception, and constant fighting can take a toll on even the strongest person, not to mention the humiliation she felt at what had happened that night.

Ashley knew that eventually the blonde was going to break down. She just didn't count on it happening so soon. It didn't matter when it happened; she was going to give her support in whatever way Spencer needed. Right now that meant holding onto Spencer as tight as possible and letting her get it all out. The last time Ashley could remember seeing the crying girl so upset was in high school, just after her brother had been killed. The entire Carlin family had obviously been devastated by Clay's death, but it was Spencer who had the most trouble dealing with it.

For three days Ashley didn't leave her side. She did everything that Spencer asked of her-anything she could think of that might help. While the incident involving Carmen was clearly not the same as losing her brother, she was upset, and that affected Ashley. If Spencer was in pain, she was too. That was something that hadn't changed, no matter how many years they spent apart.

Even though it felt really good to be held by the brunette, when her tears subsided, Spencer stepped back and wiped her face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to unload on you."

Ashley's heart ached at the sadness in Spencer's voice. It hadn't gone unnoticed that Spencer hadn't yet looking at her, keeping her eyes trained on the ground instead as if she had something to be ashamed of. "You have nothing to be sorry for," Ashley assured the other girl. She used her hand to guide the blonde's eyes back to hers. "You did nothing wrong."

"Well, I did sort of destroy a car," Spencer replied. And in spite of all the ugliness of the night's events, she managed to crack a smile.

"I guess you did," Ashley agreed, her lips curling upwards. The heaviness of everything was momentarily lifted. "I have to say, I didn't know you had something like that in you."

Spencer, although still feeling a bit foolish, was relieved that Ashley didn't seem to be judging her. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

"I have no doubt that you are," Ashley replied before taking Spencer by the arm and then gently guided the blonde into her home. "Do you need anything?" she asked once they were inside.

Spencer shook her head. "I'm just going to head to the rest room to clean myself up a bit."

"No problem. I'll be in the den whenever you're ready."

The blonde didn't need directions on where anything was, she'd been in Ashley's house countless times when they were younger. It still felt a little strange to be there since they hadn't been close in years, but there was something familiar and comforting about it at the same time. Spencer cringed when she saw how red and puffy her eyes were. She knew the Ashley would never say anything, but she looked like a wreck. Well, at least it matched how she felt inside. She splashed water on her face and attempted to make herself more presentable before she went to join the other girl.

Ashley had grabbed a coke for herself and a beer for Spencer. Not one to advocate drinking one's troubles away, she hoped that maybe it would just take the edge off for the blonde enough so she wasn't as upset as she suspected. She took off her hat and ran her hands through her hair as she waited. Right when Ashley had started to worry because Spencer hadn't emerged from the restroom yet, she took a seat next to her and then gladly took the beer that was being offered

Spencer took a big sip of her drink. It was so quiet at Ashley's place that it made her want to keep her voice down. "Sorry I took so long."

"You really need to stop that, Spence," Ashley replied, her brow furrowed with concern. "I know it's been a while, but it's me. You don't have to keep apologizing."

The words "I'm sorry" died on Spencer's lips when she realized that was exactly the point that the brunette was trying to make. "Thanks for the beer."

"I figured you could use one." Ashley was hesitant to ask the question that had been burning in her mind since everything with Carmen went down. She knew it probably wasn't the time, but the brunette couldn't stand the awful thoughts that were running through her head. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, anything," Spencer assured the other girl after taking a few more sips of her drink.

"Has, uhm, has Carmen..." Ashley's voice trailed off when she saw the blonde cringe at the sound of her ex's name, but she had to continue. "Has Carmen done anything like this before?" The thought that Spencer might say yes was enough to make her blood boil. Actually, the thought that anyone could or would harm Spencer is what really set Ashley on edge, but she was trying to keep her composure for her friend's sake.

"Done anything like what?" Spencer asked, the vagueness of Ashley's question confused her at first. When she realized what Ashley was implying, she couldn't help but look away. She was uncomfortable and felt foolish. It wasn't that her answer was yes, it was more that the brunette even needed to ask. "No. I mean, we've fought before, but it's never gotten that out of control."

"Oh, OK, that's good." Ashley felt the tension start to leave her body after she got her answer. She didn't know what she would have done if Spencer had responded differently. It was only after she had relaxed a little that Ashley realized there was an even more important question she should have asked the blonde first. "How are you doing? I mean, besides the obvious, how are you feeling?"

Spencer was touched by Ashley's concern. There was a part of her that felt that the brunette had every right not to really care. She had allowed her relationship with Carmen to take over her life in so many ways, which had included mostly cutting Ashley out of hers. She hadn't really wanted to, but her presence had caused tension between her and Carmen. And as much as she knew she wasn't right, Spencer had slowly pulled away, turning their one-time strong friendship into something that more resembled passing acquaintances.

She had often regretting letting go of their friendship, but she couldn't change the past. Spencer would still have to deal with the fallout of her time with Carmen, but she was also being given a chance to set things right with Ashley, and she knew that she wanted Ashley, who had once been such an important person in her life, to be part of her future. The blonde understood she was making a lot of assumptions, but deep down she had little doubt that Ashley would welcome her back into her life with open arms. Sometimes things like that didn't need to be discussed: they just were.

"Well, I'm not having the best night, but I think I'll be OK," Spencer replied, as she got more comfortable on the couch. "I can't believe what a mess everything is," she said more to herself than to Ashley. "I have no idea what I'm going to do now."

Ashley put her hand on the blonde's arm. "You don't have to think about that tonight, or right away."

"You always did know what to say to make me feel better," Spencer told her friend. "And I know you said I have stop apologizing, but I really am sorry for letting us drift apart. I should never have let my relationship with Carmen interfere with us."

"It goes both ways," Ashley replied, unwilling to let Spencer shoulder all the responsibility for their friendship faltering. For her part, Ashley had pulled away because seeing Spencer with someone she couldn't stand was impossibly hard, and she didn't want to say something she'd regret. "Besides," Ashley continued, "you know that I'm always here for you."

Spencer nodded. "I do, and I can't tell you how much that means to me."

Ashley refused to take any accolades that the blonde wanted to give her. "Please, it's not like the same doesn't go for you."

"That's true," Spencer agreed.

"We really are amazing people," Ashley joked. "And now we can spend a lot of time together telling each other that."

Spencer liked the idea of getting close to Ashley again—of rekindling what they once had. There was a sense of being home when she was with the brunette that she hadn't found with anyone else, her ex included. "I feel so stupid for not confronting Carmen earlier and letting her get away with lying to me," she admitted reluctantly.

"You're not stupid," Ashley assured her. "You just saw what you wanted to see and you always like to think the best of people."

"Oh, come on, Ash!" Spencer exclaimed with a surprising amount of bitterness. "I should have kicked her to the curb a lot earlier than tonight. My mom told me from the beginning that she was bad news."

Ashley had always gotten along with Spencer's mom and considered her more of a mother figure than her own ever was. She didn't want to add to the guilt Spencer was already feeling, but at the same time she knew it was important to let her talk this out, so she boldly asked, "Why did you stay?"

"If I knew why, I wouldn't be in this mess, would I?" Spencer said harshly, instantly regretting her defensiveness. Her anger was at herself and had nothing to do with Ashley. "I don't mean to be an ass."

"Well you've always been a jerk to when we were younger, so now is no different." Ashley teased to calm the blonde down. "Maybe this isn't the best time for you to dissect things anyway."

Spencer disagreed. "No, it's fine." She paused to gather her thoughts and figure out what she wanted to say. "I've always looked at my parents and how much they love each other, and I wanted that for me. They taught me about commitment and not walking away in bad times." The blonde finished off her beer before continuing. "I made a commitment and wanted to keep it."

"That's admirable, but you're not the only one who made that commitment," Ashley countered. "You shouldn't stay with someone who treats you badly and sneaks around behind your back, or someone who screams at you and then grabs you in a moment of anger, or someone who thinks it's OK to lie or cheat. That's not what commitment is about."

"I know..." Spencer's voice trailed off. She couldn't really argue with Ashley when her points were all valid. She'd made a big mistake in staying with Carmen, but it was one she wasn't going to make again.

"You deserve someone who will love you unconditionally," Ashley moved closer to the blonde, her voice quiet and soft. "You deserve someone who treats you the way you deserve to be treated. Who respects you, who cherishes you, who is there for you no matter what, who realizes how lucky she is to have you in her life." She knew she should probably stop, but the brunette couldn't. "You need to be with someone who will spend every day showing you how much you mean to her."

The mood between them had suddenly shifted. They were now sitting only inches apart, and that tension from high school that always seemed to be there had returned. Their eyes locked, and the only sound that could be heard was the sound of their breathing and the chorus of crickets chirping outside.

Ashley regained her senses and moved back a bit, breaking her gaze with the blonde. "And what you need right now is a friend to help you through this."

Spencer couldn't help feeling a little disappointed that Ashley wasn't as close anymore. In the grand scheme of things she knew it was best and her emotional state was in too much turmoil. That was the rational side of her. The irrational side of her wanted to seek comfort that would take away much of the hurt she felt. But Ashley didn't deserve that. Neither did she. "Know anyone who might be up for that job?"

Ashley smiled brightly, her nose crinkling in the process. She was more than happy at where the conversation was headed now. "I think I might have a volunteer in mind."

"If you say anyone but you, I'm going to be disappointed," Spencer admitted a little shyly. She had played enough games with Carmen that she thought it best to spell out what she wanted in case there were any doubts.

"Of course I meant me, you goof!" Ashley exclaimed as she rolled her eyes at the blonde.

"Good," Spencer said before she moved back towards the brunette to give her a hug. "Because I don't think I want to go through this without you."

"You don't have to worry about that, Spence," Ashley returned her friend's embrace and couldn't help but revel in having the blonde in her arms. "Because I'm not going anywhere.

Even with the tough road that lay ahead for Spencer, that assurance from Ashley made her feel lighter than she'd felt in a very long time.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N I'm so glad you guys are enjoying my story - your feedback is awesome! I will get the last part up as soon as possible! **

Part 3

Ashley pulled into the parking lot that she'd been at just hours before. After she shut off her truck, she gave Spencer an encouraging smile. "Looks like Carmen isn't here."

Spencer breathed a big sigh of relief. She had wanted to come back and get her car but was worried that she'd run into Carmen and more drama would ensue. But there was no sign of her ex, and the blonde wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. Ashley had tried to convince her that she could get her car in the morning, but Spencer didn't want to take the chance that someone would see it in the parking lot overnight and wonder why it was there. It was enough that people had probably witnessed her whole spectacle with Carmen, the blonde didn't want to give the people in her town any more reason to talk.

"Thanks again for everything, Ash, I don't know what I would have done if you didn't show up tonight," Spencer said before unbuckling her seat belt.

"I know, I'm amazing," Ashley replied with a smirk.

"You really are," the blonde agreed. She knew that her friend was putting on an act of cockiness, it was just who she was. "I'm going to head to my parent's now and I'll call you tomorrow for sure."

As much as Ashley agreed that going to stay with her parents was a great idea for Spencer, the other part of her plan was not something she was in favor of. "I'm going to follow you there, just in case."

Spencer wasn't pleased by that suggestion. She'd already inconvenienced Ashley enough for one night, and she didn't want her friend think that she couldn't take care of herself. "I'm fine. Honest. Why don't I just text you when I arrive?"

Ashley tipped her hat up as she looked intensely at the blonde. "Please don't fight me on this, Spence. I know you don't need me to watch over you, but it would put my mind at ease." After what Carmen had pulled, Ashley was taking no chances that something could happen to Spencer. That wasn't going to happen if she could help it.

It was amazing how spending a few hours alone made it seem like no time had passed between the once close friends. While most of the conversation focused on Spencer and what she was feeling, their time together had also allowed the two of them to learn more about what their lives apart had been like. They fell into a comfortable conversation that had very few awkward moments. Now that Ashley and Spencer had a chance to be in each other lives again they both made a promise that they'd work on rebuilding what they once had. It really was a case of not knowing what you had until it was gone, neither of them had realized what they'd been missing until they reconnected.

"I still think you're worrying over nothing," Spencer countered, but she wasn't going to fight Ashley when the brunette was obviously concerned about her. "Don't drive like a grandma, though, I don't want to have to slow down just so you can keep up with me."

Ashley shook her head and chuckled. "I forgot what an ass you can be."

"Old habits die hard," Spencer replied, also laughing. She couldn't believe how happy she felt after such a tough night. It would probably be different in the morning, but for now, she was going to be thankful for the good mood and not question it.

The drive back to the Carlin house was uneventful, but that didn't stop Ashley from getting out her truck after they had arrived. Once she knew that Spencer was completely safe, she'd let her guard down. Truthfully, even then she was still going to do what she could to make sure Carmen caused no more trouble for the blonde.

"Just as slow as I remember," Spencer remarked after she exited her car. She forgot how much fun it was to give Ashley a hard time. "Some things never change."

"Bite me, Carlin," Ashley retorted as she followed her friend towards the front door.

Spencer's snarky response was interrupted by her surprised mother.

"Spencer?" Paula Carlin always enjoyed a visit from one of her kids, but Spencer showing up so late at night was not something she normally did. "What's wrong?"

"Hey mom," the blonde said sheepishly. She probably should have called first but hadn't really thought about it. "Everything is OK, I'm—"

"Ashley!" Paula exclaimed when she noticed who was standing right behind her daughter. She could not have been more delighted. It had been years since the brunette had been anywhere near their house. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

Ashley's wide smile caused her nose to crinkle for the second time that night. "What have I told you about flirting with me, Paula? Mr. C will not be impressed."

"Come here!" Paula ordered as she opened her arms up wide. She had hoped for a very long time that Ashley would be the one that Spencer would end up with. Her Carmen-hate aside, she'd always felt that the brunette that she was presently embracing would make a fine partner and someone who would love her daughter like she deserved. Although she didn't know why Ashley was here, or what had happened, that tiny flicker of hope that had long been extinguished was lit again. "I have missed you."

"Same here," Ashley said before stepping back. She was sure that the smile on her face was bordering on goofy. That all changed when Paula smacked her really hard on the arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For never coming to visit," Paula explained while giving a disapproving look at the brunette. "You just disappeared and we never hear from you."

Ashley could tell there was truth to the older woman's statement and she hadn't meant to hurt her. At the same time, she also knew that Paula was just busting her chops. Like mother, like daughter. "I don't really remember getting any invitations or calls from you either, you know."

Paula was not about to concede that Ashley had a point. "Hush you, since when have you ever needed a formal invitation from me? Just because my daughter made a big mistake, doesn't mean you should punish Arthur and me. " She was never one to be shy about her opinion of Carmen.

"Hello! Standing right here." Spencer pouted adorably. She had always loved how her mom had had taken to Ashley—even if that resulted in her often getting picked on or being the odd woman out.

"Yes, yes, I see you." Paula patted her daughters head. "But right now we're talking about Ashley and her inability to pick up a phone or come by to say hello."

As was the case with seeing Spencer again, Ashley hadn't realized how much she'd missed Paula. Outside of her own dad, the brunette hadn't had a lot of places in her life where she felt so comfortable or so at ease. It might have taken time for her to get that with her dad, but with the Carlins that had happened fairly easily.

"So is anyone going to explain why you're showing up so late and why Ashley followed you here?" Paula asked astutely. There wasn't a lot that got past her.

Spencer was not in the mood to rehash everything in front of Ashley and face the "I told you so" from her mom that she was very much going to get. "I'll tell you inside."

Paula eyed her daughter carefully, but she wasn't going to push the matter. If her suspicions were proven correct that Carmen was no longer going to be in Spencer's life, she was more than happy to wait to hear that information. As content as Spencer looked at the moment, Paula knew that chances are her explanation of what happened was not going to be a pleasant experience. "Fine, I'll go put a pot of coffee on." She then made a point to look directly at Ashley before adding, "And you better be coming by for dinner tomorrow night. Consider that your formal invitation."

"There's no place else I'd rather be," Ashley replied happily. It was the honest truth and the chance to spend more time with Spencer, and her family, was never something she was going to turn down.

"Will you message me when you get home?" Spencer asked after her mom had gone back inside. She, too, was thrilled that she'd be seeing the brunette the next day. It made everything else that sucked about her life feel better.

Ashley wouldn't admit to herself how much she liked that her friend was worried about her. It was nice to have someone again who was concerned about her well being like the blonde was. "Sure, I've just got to do a couple of things first and then I'm heading back to the ranch."

Spencer pulled the other girl into a very warm embrace. "It's good to have you back, Ash."

"It's good to be back," Ashley whispered in the blonde's ear. Her eyes remained closed as she let herself enjoy being in Spencer's arms.

The two reunited friends said their good-byes and Spencer watched as the brunette backed out of the driveway. She waited until she was gone before she headed inside her parents' house to face the interrogation that her mom was sure to give her. Even with that looming, the smile on her face wouldn't go away.

Ashley let out a content sigh as she headed back on the road. All things considered her night had turned out to be much better than she could have imagined.

* * *

Paula walked into her kitchen to find her daughter singing to herself—a sight that had grown more and more common since she came to live back at home four months ago. Sure there had been tears and sadness, but that hadn't lasted for as long as Paula had feared. As Spencer worked to put her life back together, she'd done it without wallowing in a lot of self pity.

It helped that she had a strong support system in her family, that Carmen hadn't really been heard from again and that she had been spending time with a certain brunette. Paula was thrilled at how much Ashley had become engrained in all their lives again, but she knew that the real reason for her being around so much was her daughter. Sure it was all happening under the guise of friendship, but the older woman knew better. It was clear to anyone who spent a few minutes with Ashley and Spencer to figure out how the two of them felt about each other. And as much as she wanted to push Spencer on what was going on with Ashley, Paula knew if she did, that no good would come of it. Besides, she understood it was only a matter of time before things would happen as they were supposed to. All Paula cared about truly was that her daughter was the happiest that she'd been in years and in her estimation, completely over whatever supposed relationship she had with Carmen.

"Someone's in a good mood," Paula remarked as she took a seat at the kitchen table. She sipped on her coffee and watched as her daughter continued to do whatever it was that she was doing. "What are you up to?"

"Making lunch for me and Ashley," Spencer replied nonchalantly. "I thought I'd take it over to her and we could hang out a bit this afternoon."

Paula gave her daughter a very knowing smile. "Mmmhmmm." OK, maybe she wasn't as opposed to interfering as she would have people believe. "You two have been spending a lot of time together lately."

Spencer rolled her eyes. "Can you just give it a rest, mom. Ashley and I are friends. You do understand that concept, right?"

Paula laughed in that way that mothers do when their daughters are trying to cover up their true feelings. "Oh, honey, you can say that all you want, but it won't make it true."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Spencer replied, getting flustered. There was a reason she didn't want to agree with her mom or consider that what she was saying had some ring of truth to it. "Let it go."

"A mother knows these things," Paula smirked. She really did have every intention of letting Spencer work this out on her own, but she just didn't seem able to help herself. "The two of you are always together, you can't stop making eyes at each other and frankly the whole town is hedging bets on when you're both going to stop pretending and just admit what you two are."

Spencer sighed. "And what exactly are we?"

"A full-fledged, one hundred percent, honest-to-goodness couple," she waited a few beats, "who aren't having sex," and then a few more beats, "I assume."

"Mom!" Spencer shrieked in horror. She did not like where the conversation was headed. "Don't you have something else you need to be doing right now?"

"Nope, I'm not seeing my first patient until this afternoon." Paula replied much to her daughter's dismay. "So, let's get back to talking about you and Ashley…"

"There is no me and Ashley!" Spencer insisted.

"Yes, there is," Paula countered. "And the sooner you admit that, the sooner you can stop pretending that you aren't madly in love with her."

Spencer knew there was no point in arguing with her mom, she was an incredibly stubborn woman. Instead, she allowed her defenses to come down and ask a question that had been plaguing her for the last number of weeks. "What if she isn't interested in me like that?"

The blonde had been falling for her friend for some time now, but her doubts and fear of getting hurt again was preventing her from seeing what was right in front of her. Every time Ashley called her, she got butterflies. Every look from the brunette sent her heart racing. And every time they touched it caused this buzzing sensation in her body that lingered long after the contact was gone.

They had spent so much time with each other over the last few months it really was like they were dating. Platonically dating with no move made by either girl. Ashley had been the perfect friend during that time, never making the blonde uncomfortable or leaving her feeling uncomfortable. As nice as that was, Spencer was getting a little frustrated and anxious because it felt like she was the only one experiencing the sort of intense feelings she was having.

"For all your smarts, Spence, you can be so obtuse." Paula walked over to her daughter and ignored the glare she was receiving. "If you can't tell that Ashley has been courting you for some time now, then I just don't know what to do with you."

The idea of being courted by Ashley was very appealing to Spencer, but she still wasn't willing to acknowledge the obvious. For all the crap that she'd been through with her Carmen the idea of having this kind of drama free bond that she was building with the brunette seemed a bit too easy. "She hasn't asked me out."

Paula decided to cut her daughter a break. Clearly she was letting her self-doubts take over instead of using her rational thinking. "Don't you think it's possible that she's waiting for you to make a move? You are the one that got out of a relationship. You are the one that is trying to figure out what you want to do with your life. And you are the one that Ashley would never want to hurt. Maybe she thinks she would be putting pressure on you."

Spencer opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it. "And what if you're wrong?"

"I'm never wrong," Paula quipped. "Look, I don't know exactly why Ashley hasn't said anything about how she feels yet, but that doesn't mean I doubt how strong her feelings are for you. Maybe she thinks you're not ready."

"I am ready!" Spencer fired back much to her mother's delight. She'd fallen into Paula's trap just like the older woman thought she would.

Paula put both her hands on Spencer's shoulder and then looked her daughter square in the eye. "Then tell her that."

Spencer had nothing left to say. She had a decision to make and, if she was brave enough, she could finally have everything she ever wanted.

* * *

When she pulled up to Ashley's house, Spencer was having a hard time containing her nerves. She'd never asked anyone out before and she had no clue what she would even say. Plus, the fear of rejection and the potential of making things weird between her and the brunette weighed heavily on her mind. Deep down she knew that probably wasn't the case, but right know her insecurities were winning out.

Realizing she didn't have to do anything or confess her feelings today, Spencer was finally able to calm herself down enough to get out the car. She grabbed the lunch she had made and then went in search of her friend. When she found Ashley, the blonde's throat went dry.

Ashley was in the process of doing some very physical labor on her ranch. That meant she was wearing an old pair of jeans, her trademark cowboy hat and a white wife-beater that showed off her well-defined arms. She was dirty, sweaty and, to Spencer, had never looked sexier. She was finding it difficult to move or announce her presence. That's how distracting she was finding Ashley.

"What a nice surprise!" the brunette exclaimed when she spotted Spencer. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Lunch," Spencer blurted out somewhat awkwardly. She cursed herself for acting weird all of a sudden. "I mean, do you have time to have lunch with me?"

"For you, Spence, I have all the time in the world." Ashley replied with a grin. "I'm starved."

Spencer drank in the sight of the brunette. She was certain that there was nobody in the world was as kind, caring, smart, generous, beautiful and sexy as the woman coming towards her. And she would be a fool to not let Ashley know that. "Go out with me?"

Ashley was confused. "But I thought you brought me lunch?"

"No, that's not what I mean," Spencer sighed at how lame she was being. She took a deep breath before locking eyes with the brunette. "Tonight, go out with me…" her voice trailed off and then she decided this was too important to screw up. "On a date. I would like to go out on a date with you tonight."

"Oh." Ashley replied in shock. She was not expecting that at all.

Spencer gulped, "Oh?" That was not the response she was hoping for. She was hoping for happiness, excitement or at least something more than the blank expression and lack of enthusiasm Ashley was showing.

Once the shock wore off, Ashley was positive that nobody could possibly feel as elated as she was right then. Things had been going so well with Spencer that she hadn't wanted to jeopardize things. She had long ago accepted that all her feelings for the blonde had not gone away with time. But she was nervous to tell Spencer anything in case the other girl wasn't ready for anything more than friendship. Or worse, didn't feel the same way too. And now it seemed like she was so close to getting what she had wanted for so long. Missed chances, bad timing and crazy ex-girlfriends were no longer of importance. The only that mattered was the gorgeous woman who made her heart flutter.

"I would love to go on a date with you tonight." She gave Spencer the sweetest, almost shy smile. "Took you long enough to ask."

"What are you talking about? Are you being serious…" Spencer stopped talking when she realized that Ashley wasn't being serious at all. It wasn't the blonde's fault, though; her anxiety had put her on edge. "And you call me an ass."

Ashley thought about continuing to tease the blonde, but there was something more important that she wanted to do. If Spencer had been brave enough to ask her on a date, she needed to confess something as well. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to take you on a date."

Spencer wanted to reply with "I thought I was the one who asked you out," but Ashley's intense gave had rendered her speechless.

"But before that can happen, let's eat," Ashley said, before grabbing the food from Spencer's hand and walking towards her house. Now that she had been honest with the blonde, she was more than happy to joke around with her again.

Spencer shook her head and couldn't help but laugh. There were so many things about the brunette that she adored, but her ability to not take herself seriously or her ability to lighten a mood was at the top of that list.

The blonde wasn't sure about much, but she had a sneaking suspicion that tonight could not come fast enough for her. Or her date.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N Soooooooo I'm not quite done with this story yet, there is still one more part to go (honest!). Hopefully that's a good thing :) My goal is to have this wrapped up before the end of the year. Thanks to those who read/review/comment, it means a lot. **

* * *

Part 4

Ashley had to regulate her breathing as she drove the very familiar route to the Carlins' house. Her ability to appear cool about her impending date with one Spencer Carlin disappeared the second the blonde left after lunch. The brunette had tried to play it off as something that she didn't have to stress over for Spencer's sake, because she'd appeared a bit on edge when she asked Ashley out. The reality was, however, that this upcoming night with Spencer was the biggest deal ever.

The brunette had wanted this night to happen for a very long time. Now that it was here, the pressure felt like it had been ramped up to an almost intolerable level. She wanted everything to go right and be absolutely perfect.

Ashley would be the first to admit that any time with Spencer was pretty much all she wanted or needed, regardless of what they were doing. That being said, she spent the rest of her day planning every single possible thing she could for her first date with the blonde. Ashley was a romantic at heart, so she already knew exactly where she was going to take Spencer. There had been some arguing about what they'd do, but Ashley had insisted that she get the chance to plan the night. After all, she'd been thinking about what she'd do with the blonde if she ever got the chance to take her out for a very long time.

As much as Ashley was stressed about everything going right, regardless of what they did, she was finally getting the chance to do be with Spencer in a way she hadn't before. It was scary, it was terrifying, it was exhilarating, it was anxiety-inducing and, most of all, it was something she was sure was meant to happen.

That thought allowed the brunette to calm down somewhat as she continued her journey towards the girl of her dreams.

* * *

Paula Carlin was trying her very best to be a supportive mother. Her daughter was stressing out about tonight and she wanted to be there as best as she could. It was her duty to be the one who calmed the blonde down and who told her everything was going to be OK. On the other hand, teasing Spencer was proving to be too entertaining for Paula to resist.

"What time is it?" Spencer yelled from her room upstairs.

"Two minutes later than the last time you asked me," Paula yelled back, the amusement in her voice evident. "I can start a countdown to when Ashley is supposed to arrive if you would find that helpful."

"You suck!" Spencer replied. She was annoyed, but in some way getting pissed at her mother's antics was actually distracting her from the terrifying anxiety she was trying not to feel. "And you're never going to win mother of the year now."

Paul laughed, but she wasn't about to ease up or cut her daughter any slack. "You have no idea how devastated and heartbroken I am about that. If you're not careful I am going to make you and Ashley pose for many pictures before you leave, so you better be nice."

Spencer sprinted out her room and looked down the banister at her smirking mother. "You wouldn't dare."

"Wouldn't I?" Paula replied with the cheekiest of smiles.

"I swear to God, mother, if you so much–" Spencer's threat was cut short by the sound of someone knocking on the front door. "I'm not ready!" she screamed before returning to her room in a full-blown panic.

Paula chuckled as she got up to answer the door. She couldn't understand why Spencer was freaking out so much. The reality was Ashley was already hers; tonight was just a formality. When Paula opened the door, her heart just about melted. Ashley was standing there looking adorably nervous with flowers and a look on her face that said she was struggling to keep herself together. While she might have teased her daughter mercilessly, Paula would never do that to the girl she was sure her daughter was going to marry.

"Come in, Ashley," Paula said sweetly while gesturing the brunette inside. After she closed the door she put her hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "You look very nice." Gone was Ashley's trademark hat, but she was wearing her best pair of cowboy boots, a new pair of jeans and what she knew to be Spencer's favourite shirt of hers. "Spencer should be down in a minute."

"Thanks," Ashley replied, her throat dry and her voice sounding hoarse. She cleared her throat a few times as she shifted back and forth on her feet. "I hope you haven't been giving her too hard a time."

"I would never do that!" Paula replied emphatically, but the brunette knew she was lying. "Besides, it's not like..." She stopped talking when she realized she no longer had Ashley's attention.

Ashley had never experienced a moment like she was currently experiencing. It was a scene from a movie as Spencer descended from her room. The whole world seemed to fade away and her ability to breathe felt like it had stopped. The brunette wasn't even blinking as the girl who long ago captured her heart walked down the stairs to greet her. Spencer's hair was down and she was wearing a sundress that fit her perfectly. Ashley was sure that no one had ever looked as good as the blonde did right then.

"Hi," Spencer whispered with a little wave. It was impossible to miss how Ashley was reacting to her and that made the butterflies in her stomach even more intense. It's not like the admiration was one-sided mind you. Everything about the brunette was stunning and she, too, was blown away by how unbelievably good Ashley looked.

It took a second for Ashley to break out of her Spencer-induced stupor. "These are for you," the brunette said as she handed the flowers to her date. "I picked them myself," she added, wanting Spencer to know that every detail about the night was something she'd spent a lot of time on. Not for vanity but more so the blonde knew how much she meant to Ashley.

Spencer felt absolutely giddy as she accepted the flowers. Money or material objects were not anything she cared about but it had been a very long time since the blonde had been treated with such thoughtfulness. "They're beautiful, thank you."

"I'll put those in a vase," Paula offered. She watched the two girls lost in their own world and she couldn't help getting touched by the moment. There was nothing Paula wanted more than for her daughter to find someone who would treat her right and there was no doubt for her that Ashley was that person. "You two have a good night."

"Thanks, mom," Spencer replied when she was finally able to break eye contact with Ashley. She breathed a small sigh of her relief that her mother's picture threat didn't seem to be coming to fruition. "You ready?"

Ashley nodded and then she flashed the blonde a very sweet smile. "After you." She opened the front door and motioned for Spencer to go ahead. "Bye, Paula," Ashley said before she closed the door behind her.

"Make sure to have her home by ten o'clock!" Paula joked, unable to resist the temptation to bother her daughter one more time before her big night.

Spencer rolled her eyes at her mother's antics but otherwise remained focused on what was sure to be an amazing date with Ashley. She snuck a peak over at the brunette only to find an intense pair of brown eyes looking at her. "What?" Spencer whispered as the two girls stopped walking. "Everything OK?"

Ashley closed the gap between them, her whole body was a buzz with anticipation. "You look absolutely gorgeous," she told Spencer directly. "And I don't think I can wait hours to do this."

The blonde gasped when she realized what was about to happen. Her body tingled as Ashley got closer to her and the sensation she was experiencing was impossible to put into words. Ashley didn't know what had come over her, but she literally could not wait another second to kiss Spencer. What was happening felt bigger than she knew what to do with and yet at the same time she felt confident that this wasn't a mistake.

Their soft lips were pressed together in a kiss that was years in the making. Although heartfelt, neither girl felt the need to intensify things beyond a simple chaste kiss. When Ashley reluctantly pulled back she couldn't help but smile at the fact that Spencer's eyes were still closed. This was not a kiss that was going to stop traffic, nor would it have some kind of musical score attached to it either. But it was a kiss that Spencer and Ashley both hoped would be the first of many, many, many more to come.

* * *

"So you're really not going to tell me where we're going?" Spencer asked while giving the brunette the poutiest of looks. They were driving in Ashley's other car – her dad's old Porsche – to an unknown destination. Well, it was unknown to only one of the car's occupants. "But that's not fair!"

Ashley reached over to cover the blonde's hand with hers. Neither girl missed the warm sensation it caused. "You can try all you want, but I'm not going to tell you anything until we get there." She continued stroking Spencer's soft skin because it felt so damn good. "Besides our town is not that big and we've been driving all of ten minutes. Have some patience, will you!"

"Fine," Spencer sighed and then added a very dramatic sigh. "I guess I'll try."

"Well, they do say good things come to those who wait," Ashley replied, the double meaning of her response evident. "Now shut up and stop complaining."

Spencer couldn't help but laugh. "Wow, you sure know how to sweet talk a lady."

After Ashley pulled up to a red light, she made sure to look squarely at the blonde. "I don't think you quite know yet what I'm capable of."

The light turned before Spencer could think of a suitable response. The fact that Ashley's words had caused her to shiver in the best of ways was not something she'd soon forget.

"Now, before you ask me a million questions, you're just going to have to show some of that trademark patience of yours," Ashley announced when they had arrived at their destination. Her nerves were returning and she was starting to get worried that Spencer would be disappointed in what she had planned.

"Uh, OK, not a problem," Spencer assured her anxious date. She hadn't really even noticed where they had driven to until Ashley said something. Now that she saw where they were, her curiosity was definitely piqued. "You really don't need to worry, Ash, I'm just glad to be having this night with you."

The brunette visibly relaxed after hearing Spencer's assurance. It would take some reminding on her part, but it was clear that being with Ashley was all Spencer really wanted too. "And you think I'm a sweet talker."

Once again, any response that Spencer could come up with was thwarted by the brunette's actions. Ashley made sure to exit the car first, so she could open her date's door for her. It wasn't necessary but something that Ashley felt strongly about.

Spencer accepted the brunette's outstretched arm and once she was out of the car, she linked her arm with Ashley's. Her heart was beating rapidly as she did her best not to push Ashley on what was in store of the two of them tonight. Instead, she tried to focus on the present and what it felt like to have this moment with the girl she couldn't stop staring at.

"I know you're wondering why we're here," Ashley started as the two of them made their way towards their final destination. Her voice was shaky with emotion. "And I also know you're doing your best not to ask a million questions." Spencer smiled at how accurate the brunette's statement was. "The thing is, Spence, I've always felt this special connection with you even if we were at different points in our lives."

"I've felt that too," the blonde admitted, aware that both of them were wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

"We've run into a problem with bad timing or other things," Ashley continued. "But tonight I really want that all to change." She stopped walking right before they were about to turn a corner and come upon what the brunette had done. "And I really thought that the best way to do that was to go back to the beginning, back to where we began."

Spencer teared up almost immediately. She was touched beyond words at how sweet and romantic Ashley was being. The brunette had definitely exceeded every expectation and their evening together had only just started. When the two of them started walking again, it was finally time for Ashley to reveal what she'd spent the day putting together.

Outside Spencer's old locker, where Ashley had first bumped into her, was a blanket set up with candles, food and a bottle of wine.

"Ash..." Spencer couldn't finish her thought at first, she was so overcome with emotion. It was hard to believe that anyone would go to this much trouble for her. "It's amazing."

"I'm glad you like it," Ashley breathed a huge sigh of relief. She was thrilled that all her planning wasn't for nothing. It wasn't easy to get everything together so quickly. It involved a lot of scrambling, more than one phone call and the asking of a few favours. But Spencer was worth it in every way possible.

"I don't like it," Spencer quipped. "I love it!"

"You say that now, but wait until you've tasted what I made for you," Ashley joked back. Although tempting to use her wealth to get a gourmet meal made, she really wanted to do everything herself. It wasn't easy and it involved a lot of last minute preparation on her part but luckily she had enough people to help her.

The blonde hip checked her date. "Oh hush, you. I happen to know that you're a great cook."

"That is very true," Ashley said while giving Spencer a very confident look. "I am a woman of many skills."

"I bet you are," Spencer flirted. She was certain her face was going to hurt by the end of the night because of how much she was smiling. She allowed Ashley to lead them to the blanked that had been set up for them. "And we can't forget how modest you are."

There were so many questions that the blonde had about how Ashley had been able to pull everything off, but she didn't bother asking them. She doubted that she'd get the answers she was looking for and, at the end of the day, that didn't really matter. All that mattered was making the most out of this magical evening.

Ashley lit the candles that had been left by one of her helpers and then she poured a glass of wine for her and Spencer. Picking a location that didn't have any other people around really made the night feel that much more special. The brunette was happy to get her date all to herself.

"What should we toast to?" Spencer asked after she was handed her glass of wine.

"To us," Ashley replied.

"I'll drink to that."

The meal consisted of good conversation, great food and a lot of laughing. Even though both girls knew each other so well, they never ran out of conversation and there never moments of awkwardness. There were plenty of moments of intense looks and words that were finally getting to be said without worrying about true feelings being revealed.

"I can't believe how lucky I am to be here with you," Spencer remarked wistfully. She was lying on her side, as was Ashley, after the two of them had finished their dinner.

"I'm the lucky one," Ashley said. Everything had gone off perfectly and she was having an even better time than expected.

Spencer was still in awe. "But you did all of this for me."

Ashley reached over for the blonde's hand. "I'd do anything for you, Spence, you know that."

"Oh really?" Spencer questioned with a mischievous look in her eye that could only mean trouble. "Anything?"

"Of course." Ashley had no clue what was going on in her date's mind but she was sure that it wasn't good.

"Well..." Spencer was fighting the urge to burst out laughing. "Cluck like a chicken for me."

"What?" Ashley was completely caught off guard. "You want me to what?"

"Cluck...like...a...chicken" Spencer repeated slowly. "You did say you'd do anything for me."

Ashley knew she was being challenged, jokingly of course, but she sure as hell wasn't going to back down. "Well if that's what you want…" She waited a few seconds to see if the blonde would cut her a break, but when it was evident that wasn't going to happen, she did exactly what was asked of her. Very loudly.

Spencer tapped her finger to her lips. "Not bad, Ash. Not bad at all." It was taking so much of her self control to keep a straight face. "Now, get up and hop on one leg for me."

"Spencer!" Ashley exclaimed.

"Are you saying you won't do anything for me?" the blonde asked, her challenge clear. She had no idea how far she could push things, but she was willing to test the limits. "Because you said that you would. So…"

Ashley shook her head but she did stand up. She was not about to give in first.

Spencer was beside herself when the brunette started to hop on one foot like she had requested. The look of exasperation on her face was utterly adorable. But that didn't she was going to let Ashley off the hook. "Now, bark like a dog."

"You are really pushing it, Carlin," Ashley grumbled as she prepared to do what was asked of her. She was willing to embarrass herself to show that she was a woman of her word. Even if that meant she was making a fool of herself.

The second the barking noise came out of the brunette's mouth, Spencer lost it completely. She was laughing so hard that tears were coming out of her eyes. In fact, Spencer was so lost in the hilariousness of the situation that she didn't notice a certain woman about to make a move on her.

Before Spencer could even understand what had happened she found herself on her back, with Ashley straddling her and the brunette pinning her hands above her head. Suddenly nothing was all that amusing anymore as Spencer's body reacted to having Ashley so deliciously close to her.

Ashley's eyes were trained on Spencer as she moved close enough to the blonde that their lips were almost touching. "You think that was funny?"

Spencer was on fire in a way that she hadn't felt before. Ashley's sweet side was obviously nice, but this side of her was something new and something she completely welcomed. The blonde gulped and shook her head slowly from side to side.

"Oh, but I think you did," Ashley continued before she pressed herself a little bit more into a very happy Spencer. "And I think that you should probably pay for that."

The blonde was more than happy to reap whatever consequences Ashley had in store for her.

Unfortunately, their moment and evening was intruded upon by the most unwelcome of visitors.

"Well, aren't you two just so fucking cute together."

Ashley and Spencer both looked up in surprise and disappointment to find a very angry looking Carmen standing over the two of them.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N Here is the end of my story. I hope you all enjoy. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. It's always nice to hear that people like what I write. Happy New Year! **

* * *

Part 5

It felt like a dream. A very bad dream of course, but the appearance of Carmen out of nowhere was unfortunately very real. Spencer and Ashley both jumped to their feet completely unsure of what to do or what was going to happen next. At the same time, they both reached for the other's hand. As a source of comfort and also to let each other know that they had the other's back.

Carmen didn't miss the sign of affection between the couple and it only made her more bitter than she was already. "Don't you have anything to say to me?" she asked Spencer angrily.

"No, I don't," Spencer replied calmly. That night at the bar was the last time she'd seen her ex and she was reeling from having her wonderful night interrupted. "Please go."

"Here's the thing, Spence," Carmen let out a hollow laugh, "Seeing as we're not together anymore, I don't have to take any more orders from a bitch like you."

"That's enough!" Ashley roared, unable to keep her emotions in check. This was supposed to be the start of her future with Spencer, not a night to take a trip down memory lane. "Get the fuck out of here before I make you."

"Such a tough guy you are," Carmen fired back not intimidated by Ashley's threat. "You think I'm scared of you? Because I'm really not." She was not going to let anyone stop her from doing what she wanted to do. "Besides, no matter what happens between you and Spencer, just know I had her first," Carmen leaned forward with the intention of inflicting as much damage as possible. "In multiple ways and multiple positions."

Ashley was enraged beyond reason. She knew logically that Carmen was just trying to goad her but she didn't care. The brunette did not like anyone talking about Spencer that way.

"Carmen!" Spencer exclaimed, horrified. "What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me?" Carmen echoed and she laughed again. "I'm not the whore who opened her legs up the moment I left town."

"Shut the fuck up!" Ashley screamed as she teetered on the edge of control.

Spencer stepped in front of her date to try and keep things from getting even worse. "I can't believe you'd talk to me like that after everything that happened."

"And I can't believe I wasted two years of my life on a frigid, cold and ungrateful little bitch like you." Carmen spat back. "I never should have left and let you go so easily. Not when you're mine."

"Do you even hear yourself?" Spencer asked as she continued to do whatever she could to keep Ashley away from her ex. "You're calling me every name in the book and then saying that I'm yours."

Carmen took a step forward, wanting nothing more than to intimidate the blonde. "You _are_ mine and that's why I came back." She had been driving around town and then stopped at the local diner to get a cup of coffee and try figure out where to go. There was no way she was going to the Carlins' house to see if Spencer was there and every other place she looked had turned up nothing. It was there that she'd heard a couple of people talking about Spencer and Ashley's date. Carmen used to loathe living in a small town, but now the fact that everybody knew everybody else's business played to her advantage. She stayed a few more minutes to get as many details as possible and then she headed out. It didn't take her long to find Ashley's car at the high school. Now she was ready for payback to and to get what was rightfully hers. "I came back to tell you how sorry I am for what happened."

"What kind of crazy are you?" Ashley asked in disbelief. "I mean, really, you have to be fucked up in the head to say half the stuff you're saying."

As much as Spencer appreciated Ashley trying to help, it wasn't her battle to fight. She turned around and looked deep into her date's eyes. "Let me handle this, it's OK."

"But Spence…" Ashley didn't finish her thought when she noticed how determined the blonde seemed to be. She relented and indicated with her head that she wasn't going to say anything further, but she squeezed Spencer's hand to let her know that if things got out of control, she was going to step in.

"We are way passed sorry, Carmen," Spencer said to the younger brunette after she had turned back around. "We're done and that's all there is to it."

"That is not all there is to it!" Carmen retorted with her fists clenched. Her temper really was one of her worst qualities. "You owe me a second chance. After everything that I put up with, you owe me."

Spencer wanted to laugh at the absurdity of this whole situation. "I owe you nothing. You didn't treat me well, you didn't respect me and you couldn't keep it in your pants. I should have left you sooner than I did, but I can't change what happened. Now go."

"That's not good enough," Carmen said as desperation was starting to creep into her voice. The last few months had been awful for her and she wanted things to go back to the way they were. "Doesn't what we had mean anything to you?"

Spencer shook her head and then she let out a big sigh. As upset as she was that her date was being hijacked by Carmen, in some way she was glad she was getting an opportunity to finally close this chapter of her life. "No, it really doesn't. You had your chance with me Carmen and now it's gone." She needed her ex to hear what she had to say and that it wasn't coming from a place of anger. "I want to be with someone who really loves me. I want to be with someone who treats me well. I want to be with someone who cares about my family. I want to be with someone who respects me. I want to be with someone who doesn't lie to me. And I want to be with someone who has a good heart."

"And you think that's her?" Carmen asked while pointing at Ashley. She didn't even wait for the blonde to answer because she already knew what she would say. "I can do all of those things, Spence, just give me another chance."

"Let me make something perfectly clear," Spencer started before she took a step towards Carmen. She wasn't going to be intimidated or let the other girl continue to be the most unwelcome of distractions. As much as she didn't want to, the blonde let go of Ashley's hand so she could handle this properly. "We are not getting back together. Now, or ever. Whatever we had is done and no matter what you say or what you do, nothing is going to change. Goodbye."

As much as Ashley wanted to punch Carmen many times over, she knew that now was not the time or the place for that to happen. Besides, she really wasn't needed as Spencer was handling things perfectly on her own.

Carmen was too stubborn to listen. "Come on, baby, we can make this work."

Spencer pinched the bridge of her nose out of frustration. She didn't know how to make herself any clearer than she had been already. "There is no we, Carmen, and there hadn't really been long before we broke up. Move on. I have and the longer you try to hold onto something that doesn't exist, the worse off you'll be."

"And you think you can move on with that trash?" Carmen pointed once again at Ashley, the girl who she thought stole everything from her. "You think she's going to treat you any better? You think she can give you everything I can? God, you really are a stupid whore, aren't you?"

The time for being civil was over. Spencer tried handling things with some semblance of being the bigger person but Carmen didn't seem to deserve that. She moved right into the Carmen's personal space and started shoving her hard in the shoulder. "Don't you ever speak to me or about Ashley like that again! I'm not your punching bag and if you can't keep that mouth of yours shut, I will shut for you."

Ashley was trying to keep her reaction neutral but she was having a hard time keeping her composure. Seeing the blonde so forceful and standing up for herself was making her body react in a very strong way. She had never been so proud and turned on at the same time.

"I mean it," Spencer continued. Maybe she should have been the mature one, but she was sick of being spoken to like that. The time for playing nice was long over. "And let me tell you something. Ashley can do more for me with a touch or a look than you could ever do for me in our entire relationship. So if you'll excuse us, we're going to find a place a lot more private than here to finish our date."

There was no way that Ashley could stop herself from smirking now. What had initially begun as a disaster when Carmen showed up had ended up being a very surprising and welcome turn of events. It was hard to miss the look of devastation on Carmen's face and it was pretty obvious that she would not show her face in these parts again. She was too humiliated.

Spencer gathered up all of the stuff from dinner and after she put everything in the picnic basket she grabbed Ashley's hand without looking back at her ex. "Let's go."

"Yes, ma'am." Ashley replied, more than happy to comply with Spencer's request. She couldn't resist one look back at the woman that she knew was not going to be an issue again. She flashed Carmen one more smirk and then she winked.

And with that Spencer and Ashley disappeared down the hall leaving Carmen to live with the consequences of every poor choice she'd ever made.

* * *

Ashley barley had her front door closed before she was forcefully pushed against it by a certain blonde who was now kissing the hell out of her. The spark that had been ignited before Carmen showed up had now erupted into a full-fledged fire that neither girl wanted to extinguish. The brunette let out the loudest of moans when Spencer's mouth moved to her ear. What was happening now was better than anything Ashley could have imagined in her mind.

It pleased Spencer to no end when she heard how Ashley was reacting to what she was doing. She had a fleeting thought that maybe they were rushing things, but that was quickly pushed aside when she felt the brunette's arms all over her. She did pull back though because she needed Ashley to know that her actions had everything to do with the woman that she was and not because she was trying to forget her past. "I want you," she stated simply.

"You have me," Ashley replied honestly. It was so intense in that moment but that wasn't a bad thing. "I'm yours, Spence, and I always have been."

Spencer pushed her body right into Ashley's, the contact wasn't nearly enough, but it would have to do for now. "Good," she whispered as her lips brushed against the brunette's. "Because I am absolutely crazy about you."

Ashley rubbed her hands up the blonde's back. She was pretty sure she would never get used to how amazing it felt to touch Spencer. Even if it wasn't in the way she truly wanted to just yet. "Good," Ashley replied before kissing Spencer with every ounce of emotion and passion she could.

Their kissing soon intensified to a point they hadn't been before. Spencer was starting to grow impatient at lack of skin on skin contact. She needed to feel the brunette in the way her body craved. She started to unbutton Ashley's shirt but she kept getting distracted by the kisses that were being pressed into her neck. It was proving to be very distracting. Without any real thought to what she was doing, the blonde ripped Ashley's shirt open, not caring that it was probably ripped beyond repair.

The brunette was about to make some kind of smart remark about Spencer owing her a new shirt when the blonde's fingers started making their way up her stomach. Ashley groaned and shuddered at the sensation those fingers were causing. She knew that they should probably stop and head to her bedroom but Ashley was finding it difficult to think or act rationally at this moment.

Spencer was enjoying touching Ashley too much to realize that she was about to lose her control over the situation. She didn't really protest that much when the brunette flipped positions so she was now the one being pushed into front door. Besides she still got to run her hands all over Ashley's body and that was always a good thing.

Ashley was trying to move the two of them further into the house, but kissing Spencer was proving to feel too good to stop. That didn't prevent her from moving her hands up the blonde's legs and under her dress. She loved how Spencer was shuddering and moaning at her touch. It felt like too much and not enough at the same time. It was only after having her hands on Spencer's bare ass for a few minutes did Ashley clue into what that meant. She reluctantly tore her lips away from the ones she wanted to kiss forever. Ashley was breathless as she gazed intently into the other girl's sparkling blue eyes. "Spence…"

It was impossible to miss the arousal in Ashley's voice. Well she wasn't the only one and for Spencer she wanted nothing more than to consummate what had started with Ashley so long ago. She shrugged her shoulders and then tugged at the brunette's belt buckle. "It was a hunch." Spencer stated to explain her lack of underwear. Not that she thought Ashley would complain about how she had dressed for the evening. "I don't think I was wrong."

"Fuck no, you weren't wrong," Ashley replied. Now was not the time for talking anyway. Now was the time for both girls to get what they both really, really wanted.

Without dislodging her lips from Spencer's, Ashley guided the two of them through the house and somehow the two of them ended up in the brunette's bedroom.

Much to the delight of both girls.

* * *

Ashley collapsed on top of Spencer after yet another mind blowing orgasm. She'd never experienced a night as amazing as this one. But then again she'd never shared her bed with a woman like the blonde. The first couple of times they'd been a little clumsy together but now that they had an idea of what each other liked, it was even better. And even though the brunette was satisfied she knew it wouldn't be long before she wanted Spencer yet again. That's what years of foreplay would do to you.

"My god, you're good at that." Ashley mumbled into the blonde's neck.

"You're not so bad yourself," Spencer replied as she stroked Ashley's back. She was nowhere close to being able to stop touching the girl on top of her.

Ashley gathered what strength she could to prop herself up on her arm. "And by not so bad, you actually mean the best you've ever had."

"Of course," Spencer said, the smile on her face was one of happiness, not teasing. "By a country mile."

Ashley felt ridiculously proud of herself even if that wasn't the most mature of reactions to have. "I can't believe you're finally in my bed."

Spencer started to play with the brunette's hair. "Took us long enough," she said matter-of-factly, "but well worth the wait." It came out sounding more like a question than she meant it to sound.

"Definitely worth the wait." Ashley assured the blonde. She leaned down so she could kiss the lips that had been all over her body. "Definitely."

"Mmmmmm," was Spencer's only response for a minute. "I don't think I will ever get sick of that." When Ashley pulled back she could see in her eyes just how happy she was. "But as much fun as tonight has been, there is something missing."

"What?" Ashley asked in a panic, her stomach sinking. She couldn't understand what was going on.

"You are adorable when you're panicked." Spencer teased before she reached across to Ashley's night stand. She really hadn't meant to cause the brunette that much stress. She placed Ashley's hat on her messed up hair. "There, much better." Having Ashley on top of her wearing nothing but her cowboy hat had been an ongoing and constant fantasy of Spencer's.

"You really like to tease me," Ashley pouted adorably.

"You're right and I'm sorry," Spencer said, an idea forming in her head. "About earlier, when I was asking you to do all those things for me, I really was having fun. You know that, right?"

Ashley had actually forgotten all about that and the payback she was supposed to be getting. "Of course I do and I wasn't really upset."

"Good to hear," Spencer replied before she continued with her plan. She really did want Ashley to know that she wasn't being mean spirited. "But just in case, I should probably make it up to you."

The brunette was confused, "Huh?"

Spencer flipped the couple over, so now she was on top. She was pretty damn pleased with herself when she saw how Ashley's hat had stayed firmly on her head. "Let me show you."

The blonde slowly kissed her way down the other girl's body. The last coherent thought that Ashley had before Spencer's tongue worked her magic was if that was the way she apologized, she hoped Spencer was sorry a lot in their relationship.

* * *

The sound of Ashley's phone woke the brunette from her rather pleasant dreams. She had no idea what time it was but she did know that Spencer was curled wonderfully into her side. So that made what she assumed to be her early wakeup call not seem so bad. "Hello," she muttered half asleep.

"Hello, Ashley!" Paula Carlin said, her voice way too chipper and way too loud. "I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Uh, no, you're not," Ashley replied nervously. It wasn't every day that she was speaking to the mother of the naked girl in her bed. She was trying to keep her voice low to avoid disturbing the still slumbering blonde. "Everything OK?"

"Oh, yes, everything is fine." Paula's cheeriness was getting even more unbearable. "Well, I hope it is, assuming that Spencer is with you." Ashley got wide-eyed very quickly. "I mean she never made it home from her date last night so I'm going to assume that things went well and that's why she's not in her bed but in yours."

Ashley cringed, both in awkwardness and embarrassment. In their haste to get naked, neither girl had thought to inform Spencer's mom that she was spending the night. Paula was the last thing on either of their minds. "Uh…yeah….about that…"

"No need to apologize," Paula cut in. "I was just hoping to speak to my daughter for a second. I hope that's alright."

"Sure, sure, no problem." Ashley was still mortified and she did not envy the conversation that Spencer was about to have. "Spence," she whispered but the blonde didn't stir. "Spence," Ashley tried again but still got nothing. "Spencer!"

"What?" the blonde replied, annoyed that she was being woken up. "Not again, Ash, I need more rest."

"Fucking hell," Ashley said to herself. "Spencer, your mom is on the phone and she wants to talk to you."

Spencer bolted upright, she was now very much awake. "What?" Ashley wanted to reply, but she was finding the sight of a topless Spencer to be very distracting. "Give me the phone," the blonde demanded when she noticed that no explanation was forthcoming. "Hey, mom."

"Oh, good morning, Spencer!" Paula sung out. "I hope you had a lovely evening last night."

It was now the blonde's turn to be distracted as the events of the previous evening played in her head. What a night it was. "Yeah, it was, uh, it was good."

"That's so wonderful to hear," Paula replied even cheerier than before. "I assume that everything went well considering you decide to stay out all night."

"About that, I'm sorry I didn't call…" Spencer couldn't even finish her thought as the reason for not calling came back to her in an amazing amount of detail.

"Oh, that's fine. I'm sure you were busy." Paula was trying her best not to laugh. She knew she was bugging her daughter and that was more than enough revenge for her daughter staying out with Ashley. The reality was, that when Spencer was with the brunette, Paula knew she didn't have much of anything to worry about. "I'm sure you and Ashley were just catching up with each other and talking and talking all night long."

"Did you want something, mother?" Spencer asked, her teeth clenched tightly together. She knew what her mom was doing and she wanted to get off the phone.

"Well, seeing as you and Ashley must be tired from all the talking," this time Paula could not contain her laugh, "I wanted to let you know that your father and I expect the both of you for dinner tonight. You know to explain to your girlfriend all about what being a part of the Carlin family is going to be like."

Spencer could only imagine what her mom was going to do or say to embarrass her at dinner. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"

"You know I am," Paula replied, amused. "And maybe next time you'll think about letting me know when you're going out for a booty call."

"It wasn't a booty call!" Spencer shrieked and then she got even more embarrassed when she saw the look on Ashley's face. She needed to end this conversation now. "We will see you later. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Spence." Paula hung up the phone content in the fact her daughter had finally found the happiness with Ashley that she had deserved. And she spent the rest of the afternoon thinking of ways to make the family dinner a memorable one.

Spencer burrowed her head into Ashley's neck. As happy as she was, she was also dreading the dinner that was to come. On the other hand she was bringing her girlfriend back to her house for a family meal. That could only be a good thing.

"Good to know I'm not a booty call," Ashley finally said.

Spencer pinched the brunette's arm. "Don't you dare take my mom's side."

"You know yours is the only side I'm on," Ashley cooed. "And your front too, not to mention your back."

"Aren't you a comedienne?" Spencer rolled her eyes, but she wasn't really mad. "Did you have a good sleep?"

Ashley ran her hands through Spencer's blonde hair. "Not really. You're a cover hog, you snore and you took up almost the whole bed. It was a rather unpleasant experience."

"You jerk!" Spencer exclaimed. She swatted the brunette's shoulder and tried her best to look serious. "You're supposed to say it was the best sleep you've ever had. And if it was that awful, I guess I don't have to ever sleep here again."

"You listen here, Carlin," Ashley made sure the blonde was beneath her once again and that she was in total control. "I finally have you in my bed and I'm not letting you go ever again."

Spencer's heart did a back flip, she couldn't remember a time she'd been happier. "Good to hear, because I have no plans of leaving any time soon." She pulled Ashley down so they were pressed tightly together. "I love you."

"I am so in love with you," Ashley responded immediately. She felt like her heart was soaring higher than she ever thought possible.

No more words were needed as Ashley and Spencer spent the rest of their day in bed, together. And neither girl could ask for anything more.

The end.


End file.
